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The focus of the newly liberated and transformed South African culture, Cape Town is a vibrant city where growth, change and the towering Table Mountain are the only constants. Whether one is exploring the pristine mountain reserves, walking on the long, white beaches or simply enjoying the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean from a bayside restaurant, you will feel the rhythym. There is a refreshing energy that pulses from the ground beneath your feet, a lightness to the clouds that lift up into the blue summer's sky, a cleanness to the strong sea wind that blows from the south.

From the town itself, nestled in the bowl of Table Mountain, one can ride up in the newly upgraded cable-car, stepping out onto a dramatic plateau. 1000m beneath you, the sea crashes relentlessly against the rocky cliffs. Looking out to the north Table Bay curves away from the harbour towards the housing developments of Dolphin Beach and Bloubergstrand and away into the distance of the unique west-coast floral wilderness. Farmlands mark out the horizon with the gold of cereal crops, the green of lucerne and the browns of freshly ploughed earth. The city's industrial sector soon fades to become residential housing, which grows daily to span the Cape Flats, eagerly filling the gaps remaining between the Peninsula and the distant Hottentots Holland mountains. The crunch and grind of continual construction in and around the city is almost audible, as Cape Town grows with vigorous enthusiasm after the slumber of its isolated past. The residential housing melts into the large informal settlement of Khayaleyitsa, a by-product of an Apartheid system where black South Africans could not own land, and home to the poor community who are slowly being incorporated into the growing labour market. The serenity of Cape Town reasserts itself to the south once again, with the wide stretch of False Bay. The waters are descendant from the Indian Ocean and are warmer than the Atlantic Ocean of the west coast. The two oceans meet at Cape Point, a windswept Nature Reserve of elemental beauty, rich with 'fynbos' - the most delicate and wonderful floral kingdom. From Cape Point the Peninsula's backbone weaves in a serpentine form, creating bays to its west and protected curves to the east. Noordhoek ends the impressive Long Beach, Hout Bay is next with its charming fishing harbour, restaurants and the thrilling Chapman's Peak drive, a narrow scenic roadway cut into the cliff-face high above the booming surf. Crossing over the mountain chain at Constantia Neck, the landscape changes yet again to become the world-renowned vineyards of Constantia and its surrounding quiet of large residences. The Newlands Forest spreads over most of the mountain's foothills, wrapping Kirstenbosch Gardens in a protective mantle. The mountain rises again into the distinctive Devil's Peak, which completes our visual tour of the Cape Town landscape, as you shall now be facing the city bowl again, just in time to catch the cable-car down.

The weather is warm and friendly for most of the year. Being at only 34' South of the Equator places Cape Town in a warm climate where temperatures never drop below 10'C during the day, even in midwinter. As the temperatures rise in summer, the cool Atlantic Ocean moderates the heat to between 20'C and 30'C. On the rare sweltering days above 30'C the beaches become incredibly attractive. Summer begins in November and ends in April, although the spring and autumn months bracket the season with continued warmth and gentle winds. The characteristic sunshine of the Cape summer is very strong, however. Due to the ozone hole which extends through the upper atmosphere above South Africa and Australia, the level of ultra-violet rays reaching the earth is high and it is considered normal to use sunblock lotions regularly. A large, wide-brimmed hat usually does the trick, combined with super-cool RayBans and some surfing trunks. Hey! all you need is a bit of a tan and you'll look just like a Capetonian. The other feature of the summer weather is a strong south-easterly wind affectionately known as 'The Cape Doctor', which blows periodically in November, December and January, cleaning out the city and blowing any hint of smoke, dust, and anyone not holding onto something solid, out to sea. The Cape Doctor only operates for a few days at a time, leaving the city happy and healthy for the ensuing summer bliss. Winter is a shorter season, only intruding mildly on the months of June, July and August with north-westerly driven storms known as cold fronts. These low-pressure systems spin in off the South Atlantic ocean and bring strong gusts of wind and heavy showers. Typically they last two days at a time, after which the weather clears to a cool, blue sky and gentle winds. Spring is an enlivening mixture of weak cold fronts, strengthening sunshine and fluffy cumulus clouds. Autumn is characteristically an Indian summer - warm, balmy days and the mellow pause of seasons after the heat of summer.

But what about the violence? As with most things, the media plays a large role in dramatising events and sensationalising the size of the problem. Yes, Johannesburg has a high incidence of car highjackings, shootings and robbery. Cape Town is quite a different atmosphere and is 1600km distant from the turbulent city in the north. We do experience crime, and it is advised that you don't go walking alone at night carrying money in the most seedy outer districts wearing a cap that says "I am a tourist". But realistically, if you come to explore, to enjoy our beaches, to travel on the wine-routes and join us in experiencing the vibrant colour of South Africa, you aren't going to vanish in a puff of gun-smoke. Neither will we - we live here, work here, play here and shall be doing so well into the new millennium.

Cape Town has incredibly scenic and varied free-flying conditions. The best time to fly is during the summer, from October to April, although it is flyable all year round. Thermals can become very strong in the height of summer, so be cautious if you are inexperienced and always take along a local pilot. There are a range of coastal and inland sites to choose from, catering for every wind direction, although some require a bit of driving to reach. We have many regular sites to fly within a two hour drive radius of the city center, catering for everyone from students through to cross country pilots.

So go on, do something wild! Pull out your glider from your snow-covered garage and buy a ticket to Cape Town, South Africa.